Who's thinking...

Too many 'thought leaders

 These days everyone purports to be an expert - but are they really?

Few people are capable of genuinely new thinking.

Back in the day, there were industry experts – knowledgeable individuals who'd earned their stripes in the field or devoted their careers to researching their special interest topic.

The social media age has seen their once sparse ranks swelled by the emergence of a plethora of "thought leaders" professing to have the drum on everything from compulsive shopping to the art of getting a good night's sleep.

They're merrily tweeting, blogging, and curating articles on their LinkedIn feeds – but how many people actually follow the thoughts of these often self-styled experts?

What distinguishes a genuine thought leader from the plethora of try-hards cluttering up the ether and irritating their connections with their second-hand, self-promotional musings?

Having something interesting to say – and the expertise to back it up, says entrepreneur Matt Barrie, the founder of listed online outsourcing marketplace Freelancer.com, who could lay a reasonable claim to the title himself.

AP